MEN’S TENNIS CONCLUDES GOLDEN STATE INVITE WITH 4-2 LOSS TO NEVADA

Mar 11, 2018

DAVIS, Calif. — Sacramento State received singles wins from Kasparas Zemaitelis and Hermont Legaspi, but it was not enough in a 4-2 loss to Nevada in the third and final round of the Golden State Invitational.

The three-day, eight-team tournament, which was co-hosted by Sacramento State and UC Davis, saw all eight teams play matches on three consecutive days. The Hornets (3-9 overall) concluded the tournament with a 1-2 record, which included a 5-2 loss to Hawai'i, 4-2 win over Saint Mary's, and today's outcome against Nevada. The first two matches for the Hornets were played on campus while today's match was played in Davis.

The bracketed tournament saw Grand Canyon post a 3-0 record and win the Golden State Invite. UT Arlington, which lost to Grand Canyon, 4-1, in the championship match, was the runner-up. For all results from the three-day tournament, please click here.

With the victory, Nevada improved to 2-0 this season against the Hornets, and 9-3 overall. The Wolf Pack beat the Hornets, 5-2, earlier this season on campus.

Nevada began the match by winning the doubles points after winning at Nos. 1 and 3. The Hornets' Dom Miller and Bernardo Moraes won their match at No. 2 by a 6-4 score.

The Hornets tied the score at 1-1 after Hermont Legaspi was leading his match, 6-5, when his opponent Jeremy Merville had to retire. After Nevada increased its lead to 2-1 with a victory at No. 1, Kasparas Zemaitelis tied things at 2-2 with a 6-4, 7-6 (5) win at No. 3 singles.

However, the Wolf Pack would clinch the win with straight set victories at Nos. 2 and 5 singles. Moraes split his first two sets at No. 6 before his match was stopped because Nevada had the necessary four points for victory. The Hornets' Donald Hall, who has played much of the season at No. 5, did not play today because of injury.

"I was pround of the way our guys competed, and they never gave up all the way to the last point," Sacramento State head coach Kevin Kurtz said.

The Hornets will jump back into Big Sky Conference play next week when they host Idaho on Saturday at 1 p.m. Sacramento State will play four straight home matches against conference opposition from Feb. 17-31.